Hometown heroes: Trio of former local standouts pursuing minor league baseball titles

By Richard Walker

Published: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 10:57 AM.

GASTONIA – Former local standouts are on opposite sides of the Class A New York-Penn League baseball championship this week and another local standout entered Wednesday night in a decisive Class A California League semifinal series.

In the New York-Penn League, 2004 South Point High graduate Mitch Harris and the State College Spikes took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three championship series against former Gastonia Post 23 and Gastonia Grizzlies standout Tyler White and a Tri-City Valley Cats on Tuesday night.

White had a hit for Tri-City in its 2-1 Game 1 home loss while Harris didn’t pitch. Game 2 was Wednesday night in State College, with Game 3 (if necessary) to be played Thursday night.

Harris went 4-1 with one save and a 0.81 ERA in 20 appearances in the regular season as the Spikes went 48-27 to win the Pinckney Division title. The Spikes are an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In the semifinals, Harris pitched the final two innings of a 2-1 semifinal series clinching 6-0 victory over Jamestown.

White hit .294 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 27 games in the regular season as the Valley Cats went 44-32 to win the Stedler Division title. The Valley Cats are an affiliate of the Houston Astros and White previously played for the Astros’ Gulf Coast League and Appalachian League affiliates this season. White hit .250 with one RBI as the Valley Cats swept Aberdeen 2-0 in the semifinal series.

In the California League, Devin Harris (Ashbrook 2006) and the San Jose Giants were tied two games apiece with Visalia in the best-of-five semifinals. Harris has rapped out three extra base hits, including two home runs, and driven in three runs during the first four games of the series. A San Jose victory advances the Giants into a best-of-five league championship series against Wednesday night’s Game 5 winner of the Lancaster-Inland Empire series that also was tied at two games apiece.

Harris hit .258 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs in 129 games in the regular season. San Jose is a San Francisco Giants’ affiliate.

GASTONIA – Former local standouts are on opposite sides of the Class A New York-Penn League baseball championship this week and another local standout entered Wednesday night in a decisive Class A California League semifinal series.

In the New York-Penn League, 2004 South Point High graduate Mitch Harris and the State College Spikes took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three championship series against former Gastonia Post 23 and Gastonia Grizzlies standout Tyler White and a Tri-City Valley Cats on Tuesday night.

White had a hit for Tri-City in its 2-1 Game 1 home loss while Harris didn’t pitch. Game 2 was Wednesday night in State College, with Game 3 (if necessary) to be played Thursday night.

Harris went 4-1 with one save and a 0.81 ERA in 20 appearances in the regular season as the Spikes went 48-27 to win the Pinckney Division title. The Spikes are an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. In the semifinals, Harris pitched the final two innings of a 2-1 semifinal series clinching 6-0 victory over Jamestown.

White hit .294 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 27 games in the regular season as the Valley Cats went 44-32 to win the Stedler Division title. The Valley Cats are an affiliate of the Houston Astros and White previously played for the Astros’ Gulf Coast League and Appalachian League affiliates this season. White hit .250 with one RBI as the Valley Cats swept Aberdeen 2-0 in the semifinal series.

In the California League, Devin Harris (Ashbrook 2006) and the San Jose Giants were tied two games apiece with Visalia in the best-of-five semifinals. Harris has rapped out three extra base hits, including two home runs, and driven in three runs during the first four games of the series. A San Jose victory advances the Giants into a best-of-five league championship series against Wednesday night’s Game 5 winner of the Lancaster-Inland Empire series that also was tied at two games apiece.

Harris hit .258 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs in 129 games in the regular season. San Jose is a San Francisco Giants’ affiliate.

Pro football

Three former local products and their teams continue their NFL seasons.

The Atlanta Falcons and Lamar Holmes (Hunter Huss 2008) host the St. Louis Rams on Sunday at 1 p.m. Holmes made his first NFL start – at right tackle – in last Sunday’s 23-17 Falcons’ loss in New Orleans.

The Chicago Bears and C.J. Wilson (Lincolnton 2008) host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at 1 p.m. Wilson was inactive in the Bears’ season-opening 24-21 home win over Cincinnati.

And the New England Patriots and Brandon Spikes (Crest 2006) host the New York Jets on Thursday at 8:25 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on the NFL Network. Spikes made two tackles in the Patriots’ season-opening 23-21 win at Buffalo.

More pro baseball

Blake Lalli (Gardner-Webb 2002-06) hit .282 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 82 games for the Nashville Sounds. Nashville is the Milwaukee Brewers’ Class AAA Pacific Coast League affiliate.

Alex Castellanos (Belmont Abbey 2007-08) hit .257 with 19 home runs and 61 RBIs in 105 games for the Albuquerque Isotopes. Albuquerque is the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Class AAA Pacific League affiliate.

Jake Buchanan (North Gaston 2007) went 5-5 with a 3.89 ERA in 12 starts for the Oklahoma City RedHawks. Oklahoma City is the Houston Astros’ Class AAA Pacific Coast League affiliate and Buchanan got a no-decision in a 4 2/3-inning playoff start for the Red Hawks, who were swept 3-0 in the PCL semifinals by Omaha.

Emilio Pagan (Gardner-Webb 2010-11, Belmont Abbey 2012-13) went 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five appearances for the North Division-winning Everett Aqua Sox. Everett is the Seattle Mariners’ Class A New York-Penn League affiliate and Pagan pitched one inning of relief in the playoffs as the Aqua Sox were swept 2-0 in the NY-P opening round by Vancouver.

And Julian Ridings (Crest 2010) hit .255 with 13 RBIs in 53 games for the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Renegades are the Class A New York-Penn League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

College football

Former Forestview standout Keon Williams was named Southern Conference offensive player of the week after leading Chattanooga to a 42-14 win at Georgia State.

Williams rushed for 147 yards and one touchdown in 20 carries as the Mocs took their first win over a Football Bowl Series team since 1984.

Chattanooga (1-1) hosts Austin Peay on Saturday at 6 p.m. in its next game.

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22